


Eysil Noble

by Kitteh413



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: 1920s, Adventure, Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-09 06:32:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12270846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitteh413/pseuds/Kitteh413
Summary: The streets around them bustled with activity as they slowed to a stop in the thick traffic of New York. Looking out the window at the tightly packed houses along the busy side walk, each identical to the last, Eysil could just make out the skeletal structure of a home in complete ruins.





	1. Chapter 1

The pungent scent of old mahogany and amber overwhelmed his senses as Credence stepped inside the home of the elderly heir, Mrs. Noble. He thought of the striking difference between it and the smell of wet cement and mechanics from the outside streets of New York back home.

He stood alone in the foyer for a long while, listening to the conversation of Mary Lou and Mrs. Noble who talked in voices less than hushed. He thought it rude, the way their voices carried into the corridor carelessly.

“She’s a rather difficult girl, Mary Lou.”

He could just barely make out the hand of an elderly women, each finger decorated with fine jewelry, from behind an elegantly covered floral chair as she set down a delicate tea cup.

“I’ve got to warn you. I wouldn’t be sending her to you if I thought I had any favorable outcome with her. She’s an owl at her finest. I’ve had to set a strict curfew with her. Shameful, really.”

“Rest assured, Mrs. Clarice, your granddaughter will not go astray in the Second Salem Church, nor in my household. I uphold my children to the highest standard, and young Ms. Eysil will be held to no different.”

“Be warned of her mother’s wicked influence, Mrs. Barebone, that’s all I beg.”

As he listened to their conversation, his eyes traveled slowly around the finely decorated room, over the Persian rug and crystal chandelier. Directly in front of him, hung above a door way that led into the seemingly endless depths of the house, was a painting of a man in what appeared to be 1870’s hunting attire. Rifle slung over his shoulder proudly, he held his head up high and stared back at Credence disapprovingly.

“That’s granddaddy,”

He jumped. A voice at the top of the stairs spoke, jerking his attention upward.

A girl sat at the very top of the stairs. Short dark hair set in precise waves across her head. At the end of a long, golden cigarette holder a delicate trail of smoke drifted lazily into the air. Gesturing to the extravagant room around her she spoke.

“He was the real Bee’s knees in his day, real heavy on the sugar if you couldn’t already tell.”

She brought her holder cigarette to her lips all the while watching Credence and inhaled deeply.

As she made her made her way down the stairs slowly, brown eyes lined with kohl, she studied him with scrutiny; draped dress swaying as she stepped. Stopping on the last stair, she extended her hand to him. With hesitation, he clutched his hat in hand, sending a nervous glance towards the voices of Mary Lou and Mrs. Noble in the women’s parlor. The corner of the girl’s lips turned up ever so slightly.

The girl watched as he reached for her hand cautiously, her mischievous look fell at the notice of lashes all across his hands. He saw her expression falter and stopped himself short before she could correct herself.

“Credence!”

Credence jerked his hand away quickly and she frowned, turning a look of distaste towards the forced smile that was spread across Mary Lou’s face as she and her grandmother entered the room.

 “You’ve met Ms. Eysil.” Mary Lou’s tone was polite but strained.

Eysil tucked her hand under the arm holding her cigarette, looking sideways at Credence with scrutiny. The mixed look of fear and guilt that crossed Credence’s face, piqued her interest. She looked back at Mary Lou with a hard look, understanding.

“Put that cigarette out, Eysil.” Mrs. Noble scowled.  “I wouldn’t have raised you to have had such bad manners.”

Eysil scowled back, putting her cigarette out in a vase beside her without averting her gaze.

“My apologies, grandmother. Where are my manners?”

Credence’s gaze dropped to his feet. Some unspoken war seemed to pass between the two in a brief stare down before Eysil extended her hand to Mary Lou, resentfully polite.

 “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Barebone.”

“You as well, Ms. Eysil. I do hope you come to enjoy the teachings I have to offer you.”

Eysil tightened her grip on Mary Lou’s hand momentarily, straining a polite smile. Head cocked to the side ever so slightly. Mrs. Noble interrupted hastily before the situation escalated.

“The help has set your bags in the carriage, Eysil. You’ll be on your way.” Mrs. Noble then turned to Mary Lou. “Mary Lou, please, don’t hesitate to write me if any help is needed. The Second Salem Church has done more for our family than I’m proud to admit.”

Mary Lou smiled graciously at Mrs. Noble.

“Your loyalty to the Second Salem Church is all that’s requested, Mrs. Noble.”

 

* * *

 

On the way home, Eysil was silent.

Credence watched her from the rearview mirror as he drove over the rickety country road, towards the churning clouds in the distance. Mother beside him droning on about the rules to the Barebone household and the Second Salem Church. But by the forlorn look on Eysil’s face and the way she watched the sun quickly run away from her, he didn’t think she was hearing much of what Mary Lou had to say.

Of course, this was completely accurate. One of Eysil’s many talents in life was learning to ignore the things that she found entirely boring, or to her disliking. Mary Lou was both of those things.

Eysil turned her eyes up to meet Credence’s undeniably sympathetic gaze in the rearview mirror, quickly shifting his attention back to the road. Feigning a heavy sigh, she turned her attention back out the window, fiddling with a fallen strand of black hair in thought before tucking it behind her ear.

If Mary Lou thought that Eysil was going to enter into her home and lose all shred of identity and independence to the “ _Rules of the Barebone Household_ ”, then—a small smile turned up at her lips—that’s exactly what Mary Lou was going to get.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things just don't go our way.

The streets around them bustled with activity as they slowed to a stop in the thick traffic of New York. Looking out the window at the tightly packed houses along the busy side walk, each identical to the last, Eysil could just make out the skeletal structure of a home in complete ruins. It sat ominously in its rubble, a crew of men pulling away fallen stone and laying new bricks as the cars inched by.

It wasn’t long before they arrived home.

Eysil stood looking up the old, creaky wooden stairs of the Barebone household with a look of distaste, suitcase in hand. The air around her felt thick, stale even in the dimly lit home, as if the house hadn’t been opened in ages. In front of her though, at the bottom of the staircase stood two girls who had undoubtedly been there while Mary Lou had been away. Had they not left the house?

The youngest looked up at her with wide blue eyes, a mixture of awe and caution crossed her face as if she’d never come so close to such an odd creature. She hid partially behind the other girl's skirt who couldn’t have been much older than Eysil, except offered a stark contrast against herself. The girl held a level gaze with Eysil, hands clasped in front of a long black dress that buttoned up to her neck, a polite smile pasted onto her lips ridgedly.

A frown tugged down at Eysil’s lips. Is this who they expected her to become?

Mary Lou set an icy hand on Eysil’s bare shoulder, meant to be more controlling that comforting. It took her everything she had to not shrug her bony hand away.

“Modesty, Chastity, this is Eysil Noble. Her family is part of the reason we’re here today and upon Mrs. Clarice’s request, it is mine and Mrs. Noble’s hope, that Eysil comes to appreciate what we have to offer her.”

Mary Lou paused and the room filled with a heavy silence. From behind her, Eysil could hear an uneasy shift from Credence. The way they seemed to hang onto her every word like their lives depended on it left Eysil with an uneasy feeling similar to a rock in one’s stomach. Mary Lou was the sort of person that could say one, quiet word and have the whole rooms attention at hand. No wonder this God forsaken church had somehow managed to survive in the throes of New York city.

“Chastity, fetch Eysil some clean clothes and sheets for the spare bed. Eysil, you will room with Chastity and Modesty during your stay. Curfew is at eight, though you will not leave the house unescorted.”

Eysil watched as, without hesitation, Chastity disappeared somewhere towards the back of the house leaving Modesty to scramble after her and Mary Lou stepped forward in front of Credence. Despite being a good few inches shorter, she appeared to loom over the quiet boy.

“Credence, take her bags up to my room where they’ll stay until I’ve deemed their contents appropriate for the house.”

Eysil’s heart gave a leap and she clutched her bag tighter, only able to look on helplessly as Credence took it with nothing more than an apologetic glance. Her jaw set and Mary Lou met her gaze as if she dared Eysil to test her.

Eysil met Mary Lou’s gaze with a hard, quick look as panic set in before she was led upstairs. The last thing she wanted to do was arouse suspicion. Mary Lou was mistaken if she thought this were the first time her _things_ had been taken.

The room upstairs was small and cramped in the back corner of the second floor.

With dismay Eysil stood in front of the worn, lumpy mattress and thin pillow that would soon be her bed. A sigh escaped her, she thought of her large cushiony mattress back home.

_‘It won’t be long’_ She told herself, running a hand over the large stain in the center of the mattress.

As Mary Lou’s footsteps faded downstairs Eysil became keenly aware of a set of large eyes watching her. She lifted her head and looked towards the wide-eyed Modesty who sat cross legged on the mattress opposite her.

Eysil gave a smallm hopeful smile at Modesty just as Chastity entered with clothes for her.

“Mother says only loose women wear lipstick.”

Her smile faltered.

Chastity cast Modesty a disapproving look.

 “Modesty, let Ms. Eysil change.”

Eysil waited with her hands clasped in front of her as they left the room. She looked down at her lumpy excuse of a new bed and pressed rouge red lips together with raised eyebrows. The door behind her shut with a snap. Some things…Just don’t go our way.


End file.
